Sharif Muhammad: Black Joy, Beauty and Empowerment

June 2026

Artist Statement

My artistic purpose is to represent, empower, uplift, glorify and convey the emotions of black and brown people living in America. I use art as an instrument to unpack the spectrum of feelings derived from our experiences. I believe that without the help of artistic expression, the feelings of black and brown people are often flattened, downplayed, archetyped, or simply limited by verbal or literal expression. Putting the full black and brown experience on display serves as a reminder for all, that we are multidimensional, brilliant, invaluable human beings. It is the emotional argument to dismantle all forms of racism.

Art Bio

Sharif Muhammad — Family Man, Educator, and Visual Artist

Sharif Muhammad is a visual artist whose work is rooted in representing, empowering, uplifting, and glorifying the lived experiences of Black and Brown people in America. He uses art as a vehicle to capture the beauty, depth, and emotional complexity of these communities: feelings that are too often flattened, downplayed, archetyped, or constrained by verbal or literal expression. For Sharif, putting the full spectrum of Black and Brown life on display is not only a celebration of brilliance and humanity, but it is also an emotional argument for dismantling all forms of racism.

Sharif’s work has been exhibited in juried shows and galleries across Boston. He has been featured in the Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, and appeared on the cover of Art New England Magazine. In 2021, he received the Boston Celtics’ Heroes Among Us Award for creating Black Cards, a deck of playing cards featuring Black kings and queens. That same year, his Rainbow Swag mural—spanning 2,000 square feet—was painted in Jamaica Plain.

Sharif continues to balance his life as a dedicated teacher, artist, and father. He is currently working to make Black Cards a household staple nationwide.